1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a device for preventing rotation of the steering column of an automobile vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The increasingly severe requirements for protection of the driver in the event of an accident and in particular in the event of a head-on impact have led manufacturers to provide a safety air cushion system, usually called an "air-bag", which inflates almost instantaneously upon impact to protect the driver by covering the steering wheel. The new safety standards require the ability to withstand a greater speed on impact while simultaneously guaranteeing a reduced force on the driver or the passenger. For this reason, new air-bags must be larger, with the result that the point of contact of the driver with the air-bag in the event of an impact is more off-center, which causes a higher torque and transverse forces which are higher. It is therefore necessary to prevent any rotation of the body of the steering column in the event of a head-on impact. Moreover, it is necessary to avoid any feeling of clearance at the steering wheel if the driver presses on the steering wheel in a vertical direction, giving the driver an unsafe impression.